1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to internal combustion engines, and more particularly, to exhaust systems for internal combustion engines.
2. Related Art
Internal combustion engines include exhaust systems for allowing exhaust gases to escape from within the combustion chamber or cylinder. The exhaust gases usually escape through an exhaust port in the engine block, then through an exhaust manifold that directs the exhaust gases to exhaust pipes for directing the exhaust gases away from the engine. Since the exhaust gases are usually very hot, some amount of the heat is transferred to components of the exhaust system. For example, the exhaust port and exhaust manifold will become very hot during operation because of heat transferred from exhaust gases.
There are a number of advantages to preventing the engine block from getting too hot. For example, excess heat can reduce engine performance, reduce the life of engine components, or even damage the engine block itself. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce the temperature of the engine and engine components. For example, it is common for engines to include a liquid cooling system for carrying away heat from the engine. Despite such past efforts, there remains a need for further improvements in dissipating heat from internal combustion engines.